Apparatus for measuring moisture of soil



Jan. 3, 1956 R RosENTHAL APPARATUS FOR MEASURING MOISTURE OF SOIL Filed June 18, 1952 ra 115 Van;- 60 cmi Ha wf Pam/e' fifi/,v

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United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR MEASURING-MOISTURE vF SOIL Robert Rosenthal,'Tenally, N. J., assigner to Industrial Instruments, Inc., nl corporationy of New Jersey Application June 18, 19,52, Serial No. .294,153

SClaims. --(Cl. I3-73) This invention yrelates to the measurement of soil moisture and tothe instruments -and elements for -performing this function. More particularly, Ythe invention relates to an improved moisture-sensitive element in the form of a solid yblock Vof porous material adapted to be placed in the-soil.

It is known to measure s oil moisture by means of absorption blocks ,and aspecial adaptation of the Wheatstone bridge. 1n such known apparatus, the porous absorption block introduces Van undesirable capacitance eiect which must bebalanced -out or neutralized to obtain an accurate -readingon the bridge. This balance or neutralizationis achieved -by introducing a variable condenser across one of thearms of the bridge. The accepted theory behind the need for the balancing condenser is that the condenser is necessary to eliminate the lead capacitance of the v.moisture absorption block. In order to obtain a measurement onthe :bridge with such apparatus, it is required to make two critical interdependent balancing adjustments; ("1) a potentiometer ,adjustment and '(2) a condenser adjustment. To reduce still'further 'the eiect of the vso-called `lead capacitance of the known type of moisture 'bloclgit has been customary to connect an oscillator 'or suitable source of alternating current or tone having a frcquencyin the range of 500 to 5G00 cycles connected across one diagonal of the modiiied Wheatstone bridge, rather than a battery source of D. C. Such attempts to obtain great accuracy in measurements have resulted in increased cost and complexity of the measurement instrument and have not been found to be entirely satisfactory, particularly in sensitive instruments.

An explanation of why the capacity balance is required in prior instruments will now be given. If the electrodes of the block make direct contact with the gypsum which has varying moisture content depending upon the soil moisture content (assuming a complete absence of a gas ilm such as may be caused by polarization) the capacity between each electrode and the gypsum is infinite since the separation of the conductors constituting the gypsum as one plate and an electrode as another plate is zero. The formation of a gas film however, introduces a separation between the gypsum and the electrode which reduces this capacity. The equivalent circuit of a moist gypsum block is now considered as comprising the resistance which it is desired to measure in series with two capacitances each capacitance arising from the juxtaposition of an electrode and the surrounding gypsum. It is possible to provide an equivalent circuit for each series circuit of resistance and capacity by making a parallel combination of resistance and capacity in an adjacent arm of the Whcatstone bridge and this is what is effectively done in prior art Wheatstone bridge systems for soil moisture measurements with gypsum blocks in order to compensate or balance out the so-called capacitance effect which arises from polarization. As the bubbles or the polarization film gets :tallic electrodes 1.6.

larger the series capacitance decreases and this requires .an increase in thevalue of the parallel-balancing capacityin the adjacent -arm of thebridge to obtain a sharp null.

Among theobjects of-the present invention are: to

4simplify the .construction and operation of the ,bridge measuring instrument vused in the measurement of soil moisture; to kprovide an, improved moisture-sensitive porous Vabsorption Yblock which veliminates the so-calledcavpacitance effect and'hencethe necessity for the balancing linconjunction .with-a drawing whose single figure illustrates the improved moisture sensitive block of the invention in association with the simplified bridge-type instrument for the measurement of soil moisture.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown the improved electrical resistance method of measuring soil moisture by means of a simplified bridge 10 and an improved moisturesensitive .porous block 12 adapted to be embedded inthe vsoil. The block 12 of the invention comprises .a .soliditied absorption material, such as plaster oParis -14 in which are embedded a pair of spaced me- The `electrodes 16 are aligned in holes in Vinsulating spacers 13 shown in dotted lines. The moisturecontent of the plaster of Paris block varies with that of the jsoil, and its electrical resistance varies inversely as its moisture content. Hence the block resistance is `an index of .soil moisture. An important featureof the porous block of the invention is the construction of the electrodes 16. These electrodes comprise .suitable nickel rods of highly electrically conductive metal Whose `surfacearea in contact with the plaster of Paris is platinized. This platinizing of the electrode .surface area, .known .as platinum black, increases the .eiective surfacearea ofthe electro-des to an extent which compares to a physical increase in size of the electrodes fold, although the actual thickness of each electrode is infinitesimally increased compared to the electrode without platinizing. This platinum black is actually a film which is deposited on the electrodes by an electroplating operation in a solution of approximately 3% platinum chloride.

An entirely unexpected and unpredictable result achieved by the platinum black coating on the embedded electrode surfaces of the moisture sensitive porous block of the invention is that it eliminates thc .so-called capacitance efect and enables the block to act as an almost pure resistance; stated in other words, the block has a very large capacity for the conduction of direct current.

The simplified modified Wheatstone bridge to whose terminals b the improved moisture block 12 of the nvention is connected by a pair ot rubber covered leads 18, comprises four arms a, b, c and d. Arm a conprises a series of selectable resistors 9; arm c comprises a fixed limiting resistor 7 and a. portion 5 of a potentiometer P; and arm d comprises a similar fixed limiting resistor 7 and a portion 3 of the potentiometer. The resistors 7 limit the range of adjustment ot the bridge. Across one diagonal or" the bridge is an indicator I which may be a magic eye tube, or earphones. Across the other diagonal is the source of alternating current, here shown as the house supply mains.

The aforementioned highly desirable and unpredictable etfect of the moisture absorption block of the invention permits simplication in the construction and operation of the modified Wheatstone bridge measuring instrument to whose terminals b the block is connected, rst by eliminating the need of a balancing condenser which is required and usually placed across the variable resistance arm a of known bridges, second by permitting the use of commonly available house main supply 110 voltsV 60 cycle rather than the high frequency signal hitherto required, and third by reducing the number of adjustments required to make an accurate measurement of the soil moisture. In prior soil measuring instruments, the polarization or previously called capacitance elect would be greatly accentuated if it were attempted yto use ordinary house power supply, and the size of Y l. A soil moisture-sensitive element comprising a solid block of porous absorbent material having completely embedded therein a pair of spaced electrodes coated with black platinum, whereby the elective surface area of the electrodes is increased many times as compared to the surface area obtained from Va mere increase in the peripheral dimensions of the electrodes.

2. A soil moisture-sensitive element comprising a solid 'rectangular block of porous absorbentmaterial whose length is approximately twiceas long as its width and approximately five times as long as its depth, and a pair of metallic electrodes coated with black platinum and completely embedded in said block for the major portion of its length and disposed symmetrically on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of said block, whereby the ef- Vfective surface area of the electrodes is increased many times as compared to the surface area obtained from va mere increase in the peripheral dimensions of the electrodes.

3. A soil moisture-sensitive element in accordance with Vclaim 2, wherein said electrodes are nickel rods coated with platinum black.

4. 'I 'he combination with a moisture-sensitive element comprlslng a block of porous absorbent material having completely embedded therein a pair of spaced electrodes coated with black platinum, whereby the elective surface area of the electrodes is increased many times as compared to the surface area obtained from a mere in crease in the peripheral dimensions of the electrodes, of a measuring instrument comprising a Wheatstone bridge completely devoid of concentrated capacitance, there being an indicator across one diagonal of said bridge and a connection across the other diagonal of said bridge for supplyingr house power supply thereto, said bridge having four arms in one of which is a series of selectable resistors, in two other arms a fixed resistor, there being a potentiometer between said last two arms, and in the fourth arm said block of porous absorbent material connected thereto by rubber-covered leads.

5. The combination with a moisture-sensitive element comprising a block of porous absorbent material having completely embedded therein a pair of spaced electrodes in the form of strands of wire coated with black platinum, whereby the eective surface area of the electrodes is increased many times as compared to the surface area obtained from a mere increase in the peripheral dimensions of the electrodes, of a measuring instrument comprising a Wheatstone bridge completely devoid of concentrated capacitance, there being an indicator across one diagonal of said bridge and a connection across the other diagonal of said bridge for supplying house power supply thereto, said bridge having four arms in one of which is a series of selectable resistors, in two other arms a fixed resistor, there being a potentiometer between said last two arms, and in the fourth arm said block of porous absorbent material connected thereto by rubber covered leads.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,367,561 Bouyoucos Jan. 16, 1945 2,501,377 Cherry Mar. 21, 1950 2,541,578 Egalon et al Feb. 13, 1951 2,636,927 Durham Apr. 28, 1953 2,636,962 Bouyoucos Apr. 28, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 540,783 France Apr. 22, 1922 

4. THE COMBINATION WITH A MOISTURE-SENSITIVE ELEMENT COMPRISING A BLOCK OF POROUS ABSORBENT MATERIAL HAVING COMPLETELY EMBEDDED THEREIN A PAIR OF SPACED ELECTRODES COATED WITH BLACK PLATINUM, WHEREBY THE EFFECTIVE SURFACE AREA OF THE ELECTRODES IS INCREASED MANY TIMES AS COMPARED TO THE SURFACE AREA OBTAINED FROM A MERE INCREASE IN THE PERIPHERAL DIMENSIONS OF THE ELECTRODES, OF A MEASURING INSTRUMENT COMPRISING A WHEATHSTONE BRIDGE COMPLETELY DEVOID OF CONCENTRATED CAPACITANCE, THERE BEING AN INDICATOR ACROSS ONE DIAGONAL OF SAID BRIDGE AND A CONNECTION ACROSS THE OTHER DIAGONAL OF SAID BRIDGE FOR SUPPLYING HOUSE POWER SUPPLY THERETO, SAID BRIDGE HAVING FOUR ARMS IN ONE OF WHICH IS A SERIES OF SELECTABLE RESISTORS, IN TWO OTHER SAID LAST TWO ARMS, AND BEING A POTENTIOMETER BETWEEN SAID LAST TWO ARMS, AND IN THE FOURTH ARM SAID BLOCK OF POROUS ABSORBENT MATERIAL CONNECTED THERETO BY RUBBER-COVERED LEADS. 